U Mass Amherst Partnership Providing electronic systems to help students with special needs

West Springfield Middle West Springfield, MA 6 th to 8 th grade 980 students Diverse community - ELL students, special education, AAP and FAP

The Students

Our needs Varying levels (pk – 4 th ) Words, pictures, and symbols Extra adult supports Lots of time to process and produce work Communication aides Fine motor

Technology

Communication

What we teach English, Math, Science and Social Studies Life skills – hygiene, getting along with others, rules of the world, safety, etc. Therapies INDEPENDENCE!

Teaching Methods Students require lots of repetition on the same skill. Use various inputs – auditory, visual, kinesthetic Find ways to increase independence in all tasks How to generalize knowledge learned in class into “outside” world.

Problem 1 Telling Time Talking classroom clock Only on the hours Individual Practice Clock manipulatives No feedback Increase independence With auditory feedback

Problem 2 Listening to Music Need help with spelling Fine motor needed Not radio stations, Preprogrammed music

Lunch Numbers Enter code to pay for lunch Loud environment Over stimulating, distracting Time to practice?

Possible Projects Talking clock with two components 1. Students can manipulate as learning tool. 2. Use as classroom clock, students can press a button to find out the time instead of asking teachers. Radio that finds stations via voice (human and voice output) Lunch code machine that will allow students time to practice entering their lunch codes – give auditory response when correct/incorrect – programmable with different numbers as students change

Contact Info Megan Ferrari - Brenda St. Peter – Visits to school… Need to have CORI done to have interactions with students during school hours. Takes 3-4 weeks to process. West Springfield Town Hall 26 Central St., West Springfield, MA

Questions?